The production of heat has been historically accomplished directly or indirectly by the burning or oxidation of chemical fuel, by friction, by alternative energy sources such as conversion of solar or wind power, or by nuclear energy, specifically fission. While each has certain advantages, these techniques either consume rare or increasingly scarce fuel or use renewable but unreliable sources. Nuclear energy via fission has the disadvantage of nuclear waste. What is needed is a source of heat using fuel continuously available in essentially unlimited quantities.
Therefore, there remains a considerable need for methods, systems, and configurations to provide elements capable of generating energy output.